


Run, Children, Run

by Rainbow_Transform



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But I'm lazy, Everything Hurts, Meta vs Humans, The Author Regrets Nothing, There is more people, War, Worry not, everything is cool, it's cool, man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 01:26:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14153673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow_Transform/pseuds/Rainbow_Transform
Summary: The one thing they decide, together, and tell every child they come across who have these powers the same thing:“Nobody must know about your powers. Do not tell.”





	Run, Children, Run

**Author's Note:**

> I thought: what if, somehow, the Speed Force takes Barry as a kid? (Obviously it's a different Barry than we're used to, but a good Barry, right?) I'm writing this. Easy as pie.

Harrison Wells and Tess Morgan make a particle accelerator.

 

It explodes, killing them both instantly.

* * *

 

Ronnie Raymond goes in with his father. He doesn’t come out the same.

 

Barry Allen is hit by lightning. His heart stops three times before it stops, and becomes normal.

 

Caitlin Snow freezes the hot spoon in her hands.

 

Cisco Ramon holds Dante Ramon at his side screams, and a portal appears.

 

Tony Woodworm turns to steel. Bette Sans Souci turns anything into a bomb. Clyde Marton takes control of his weather powers, Dante Black makes multiples of himself, Farooq Gibran begins to control electricity and has an unending urge to **feed**.

 

Shawna Baez holds a dying sister’s hands, and is suddenly somewhere else.

 

Hannibal Bates turns into different people, but must turn into himself when his mother comes. Over, and over, and over again.

 

Hartley Rathaway can hear things from miles and miles away.

 

Adults make internet group-chats, encrypted heavily. The one thing they decide, together, and tell every child they come across who have these powers the same thing:

 

**“Nobody must know about your powers. Do not tell.”**

* * *

 

It takes almost a year of silence, before an attack is made by someone with superspeed, to a little boy who got hit by lightning.

The world learned of metahumans when one killed Nora and Henry Allen, and took their son away. No one knows where he is, and the “Reverse” as he calls himself tells nobody. He just laughs, calls them stupid, and turns them away from him. He won’t let anyone know who he is, and nobody’s ever gotten close enough.

 

Joe West searches for a lost boy, Iris West cries for both her father and the friend she’s lost.

* * *

 

Of course, the Speed Force isn’t a good person. It isn’t exactly a good or bad thing. It can be described in different forms - a she, he, they, or it - but it prefers the female role rather than non-binary. The child it took in - who is her favorite child, speed or no speed - will not be too confused. But, then again, her children find their way to her, difference or no.

 

She will explain more to her Speedster when the time is right. For now, the child must sleep.

* * *

 

Of course, the children and adults are hunted. Bette’s parents turn her into the military, Tony’s father puts him into fights and bets money on him.

 

They all escape, one by one, and Safe Homes are set up here and there. They’re scarce, humans afraid of the metas but some help. Joe West’s home is the safest spot (“They’re not going to think a cop’s taking some metas.”) and Iris West tells them the truth. (“Daddy’s doing it because he thinks Barry’s one of you guys. He thinks Barry ran for it, after his parents were killed. ‘He’s a smart kid’, Daddy always says. He’s thinking if he does this, maybe Barry’ll come home.”)

 

There are others. Caitlin Snow’s home is always on-limit, since her mother is never home. (“I’ll bring you food, promise. But don’t go looking, please. They’re always watching.”)

 

Nobody stays too long. They don’t want people to find them, or their safe homes. The homes have to be there for the next generation, because there will be another generation.

* * *

 

The Speed Force watches, and waits. The child sleeps, grows, and runs faster and faster. _(He can’t stay here forever,” Nora Allen whispers in the Force’s ear. “He’ll grow insane,” Henry Allen agrees. The Force tells them that he isn’t alone. He has her, and the Black Flash (“Which isn’t a good thing. The Black Flash is scary!” Henry hisses, and Nora agrees. The Force tells them the Black Flash can change it’s appearance.))_

 

The child grows. In strength, in character. He thinks about others. About his parents, who are teaching him everything he needs to know. (They aren’t really there, but Barry doesn’t know that.)

 

She will give the child back to the World when the time is right but the time _isn’t right_.

* * *

 

The War on Metas continue.

 

The Force watches, listens. _Waits._

* * *

 

Metas are killed, left and right.

 

The Force waits. Watches. Teaches her child.

* * *

 

Humans and Metas are killing each other, fighting a petty war.

 

The Force makes her child run. He has to be fast, in order to outrun those humans and metas both.

* * *

 

The Human-Meta War continues.

 

The Force knows her child is the missing link. Who he will fight for - humans, or metas - won’t be a probably. He will fight for both. She teaches him what is going on outside of where he is.

 

He understands what he must do, and she will help when she can.

* * *

 

When two children, one human one meta, die, _that_ is the Force’s time to reput her child back into the World. He’s learned all he can from  her - _without_ showing him the future.

 

_(“The children died. It is time for him to leave,” she tells Nora. Henry shakes his head. “They aren’t child-”_

 

_“They are to me,” the Speed Force snaps._

 

_“They are Barry’s age now. Twenty-five.” Nora continues._

 

 _“He’s barely a child. He’s a… an_ **_infant_ ** _.” The Speed Force tells her. “But he must go. Tell him his training is finished, and he must leave.”_

 

_“Just like that?”_

 

_“Yes. Just like that.”)_

* * *

 

In 2016, a portal opens. A man runs out, barefoot, and with nothing else on. Alerts are sent out, on both Meta and Humans’ radar.

 

And the race is on, again.

**Author's Note:**

> Visit me at my Tumblr @rainbowtransform
> 
> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> ^.^


End file.
